It goes without saying that I understood Benedict XVI's resignation as a symptom of normality and modernity in the Catholic Church. It is not only understandable and logical, it is absolutely reasonable that a man of almost 86 years of age should want to leave his responsibilities, retire from the limelight and end his days away from the worldly noise. That is why what has surprised me most is not Ratzinger's decision, as historic as it is, but the strange interpretations that some have made of it.
And I say strange because the German pope rightly stated in writing the reason for his unusual decision: "I have come to the certainty that, because of my advanced age, I no longer have the strength to exercise the priestly ministry adequately". The Pope did not resign because of his advanced age. He resigned because he did not see himself as having sufficient capacity to "adequately" exercise the office to which he was elected eight years ago.
The mission is twofold: "to steer the boat" and "to proclaim the Gospel". For the proclamation, word and prayer may suffice. But to govern means to command, to decide, to confront problems, to resolve. No institution, including the Church, in today's world, "subject to rapid change", can afford the luxury of having an inactive, stagnant person at the helm. As the Pope himself says, the exercise of power requires "vigour of both body and spirit". It requires reflexes, the ability to adapt to change, the capacity to understand and control complex situations (don't forget that the word 'bishop' comes from the Greek 'episcopo', which means one who watches over). In short, it requires youth, or at least active maturity.
And this is where I believe Ratzinger has sent a clear message to the cardinals who have to choose his successor. The conclave must find for the See of Peter a strong man, capable of holding the reins of a multinational as complex as the Catholic Church. Until Ratzinger, no Roman pontiff had resigned in 600 years. The election of Poland's Wojtyla broke a tradition of Italian popes that had lasted almost 500 years. Will the white smoke come to restore the good old ways?